Frasassi Caves

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Grotte di Frasassi
(Frasassi Caves)
Genga04.jpg
View of the caves
Italy provincial location map 2016.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of the caves in Italy
LocationFrasassi, Genga
(AN, Marche, Italy)
Coordinates 43°24′03″N12°57′43″E / 43.40083°N 12.96194°E / 43.40083; 12.96194
Depth400 m
Elevation300 m
Discovery1971
Geology Karst cave
Entrances1
AccessPublic
Show cave opened1974 [1]
Show cave length5,000 m
Website Official website
A column of stalactites and stalagmites Genga03.jpg
A column of stalactites and stalagmites

The Frasassi Caves (Italian: Grotte di Frasassi) are a karst cave system in the municipality of Genga, Italy, in the province of Ancona, Marche. They are among the most famous show caves in Italy.

Contents

History

The caves, discovered by a group of Ancona speleologists led by Giancarlo Cappanera on 25 September 1971, [2] are situated 7 kilometres (4 miles) south of Genga, near the civil parish of San Vittore and the Genga-San Vittore railway station (Rome-Ancona line).

Rich in water, the cave system is particularly well endowed with stalactites and stalagmites. [3]

Near the entrance to the caves are two sanctuary-chapels: one is the 1029 Santuario di Santa Maria infra Saxa (Sanctuary of Holy Mary under the Rock) and the second is an 1828 Neoclassical architecture formal temple, known as Tempietto del Valadier.

Chambers

The Frasassi cave system includes a number of named chambers, including the following:

Scientific experiments

The cave has been used to conduct experiments in chronobiology. Among the cavers that have spent considerable amount of time inside the cave is the Italian sociologist Maurizio Montalbini, who died in 2009.[ citation needed ]

Sister caves

Frasassi is partnered with several sister caves [4] around the world:

See also

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References

  1. (in Italian) History of Frasassi
  2. "Come fu scoperta la Grotta Grande del Vento di Frasassi". frasassigsm.it (in Italian).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 149. ISBN   0-89577-087-3.
  4. Sister caves on frasassi.com Archived 2009-08-31 at the Wayback Machine